Be Steadfast in the Gospel
1 Timothy 3:14-16
February 25, 2024
After his death, a documentary entitled Won’t You Be My Neighbor? chronicled the life of seemingly everyone’s neighbor, Mr. Rogers. In the film, Rogers’ wife, Joanne reveals a question he asked her shortly before his death: “Am I a sheep?” As he approached his last moments on earth, he was uncertain of his spiritual condition entering eternity.
The film entertains the dominant idea about how to get to Heaven: good people go to Heaven, bad people don’t. Then Joanne recalls what she said to her dying husband: “If anyone is a sheep, you are.”
I have no idea about his relationship with Christ, but it is sad that someone who graduated from seminary and was ordained as a Presbyterian pastor doesn’t know how one can be sure he is a follower of Christ. John says that was the very reason he wrote his first letter: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
The readers of John’s letter can know, we can know, anyone can know that they belong to Christ and have assurance of eternal life. But many do not. Many are on the precipice of eternity and do not know.
That sobering reality and a brief section in Paul’s first letter to Timothy remind us of the importance of the gospel message. We have multiple priorities as individuals and as a church. While we want to do all things well and truly, there are a few things that are vital and essential to get right. Getting the gospel right is eternally critical. It’s why Paul says that we stand on the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1) and that the death and resurrection of Christ is of first importance (15:3). And as a church we uphold and preach the singular gospel of Christ (1 Tim. 3:15). As we think this year about being steadfast and immovable, we must…
Be steadfast in the gospel.
Because Paul is writing to Timothy, his beloved disciple, they had almost certainly spoken of these things previously. It’s hard to imagine that Timothy would read/hear these words for the first time. Paul is writing them not just for the young pastor, but for the elders and the church in Ephesus. This is an exhortation to the whole church — don’t be enticed by temptations to move away from the gospel. How will they (and we) remain steadfast with the gospel? Paul reminds Timothy and us of three aspects of the gospel that demand our steadfastness:
- Be Steadfast in the Purpose for the Gospel: Your Conduct (vv. 14-15a)
- Be Steadfast because of the Position from the Gospel: the Church (v. 15b)
- Be Steadfast with the Proclamation of the Gospel: Christ (v. 16)
Download the rest of this sermon on 1 Timothy 3:14-16.
The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.
Words of Grace 